


Ready as I'll Ever Be

by RobNips



Category: RWBY
Genre: Action, Canon Compliant, Drama, Escape, From Robyn and Winter's POV, Gen, Here Clover and Qrow's relationship was more intimate, Loyalty, Post-Volume 7 (RWBY), Prison, This does take Chapter 12 as canon though so just know that, Winter is Tired man, Yelling Qrow Back into Action, jail break
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-22
Updated: 2020-03-23
Packaged: 2021-02-28 23:35:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,342
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23255545
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RobNips/pseuds/RobNips
Summary: Imprisoned in Atlas and awaiting trail, Robyn tries to convince Qrow not to give up. As Atlas security alerts Winter of an attempted to escape, she tries to reaffirm - to everyone - where her loyalties lie. Qrow is just rolling with the punches.
Relationships: PAST Clover Ebi/Qrow Branwen, Qrow Branwen & Robyn Hill, Qrow Branwen & Winter Schnee, Qrow Branwen/Clover Ebi
Comments: 5
Kudos: 72





	1. I'll Stand Up and Fight

**Author's Note:**

> This is technically ? written for fairgame week, but I'm not including it because it focuses on Robyn and Winter's perspective. Qrow is a key piece, but it's not really about him and Clover. It's a little hard to describe, but I do hope you find it interesting!
> 
> PLEASE note that this does follow canon - including Chapter 12! Nothing graphic is described, but it does reference ch 12's last scene multiple times, so be aware before you read! 
> 
> That being said, thank you so much for reading if you chose to do so! Enjoy!

This was not Robyn’s first visit to the Atlas military’s holding cells. In the past, it was only for small crimes - minor assault to an officer, organizing non-approved protests, and inciting a riot more often than not. She was usually out of jail within a few days. Her Huntresses had never had to enact their escape plan.

This time was not looking as promising. 

Her and Qrow were being escorted to their cells by five AK bots, as well as three human officers just to show that this was not a performative effort. They weren’t being taken away to be reprimanded, or made an example of, or even just because an officer lost their temper - this was heavy duty martial law-type punishment. Robyn was sure that this time, they were not getting out by any legal means. Not with the leader of the Ace Operatives dead in the tundra, his blood covering Qrow’s weapon, and a serial killer on the loose. 

“Halt.” An AK bot ordered, Robyn nearly ran into its back. The three bots in front of them turned in sync, the leader’s orders booming from its speakers. “Enter cell three.” 

For once, Robyn was grateful the AKs were not programmed to respond to expressions, as her’s was ugly and mean. However, she entered the cell before any of the bots could shove her. This was not the place to start a fight. 

She felt the effects of the aura-dampening cell immediately. Her’s was just starting to recover from the crash, but the cell drained it away. Robyn could feel the pounding in her head, her jaw where Clover landed a good hit, and many more when she was knocked around in the crash. Aura-dampening cells themselves were under serious ethical debate - but were not illegal under the Vytal Peace Treaty. The technology didn’t exist back then, but she seriously doubted General Ironwood would reconsider using it now. 

Besides the aura dampening, there was constant surveillance. Double cameras within the cells, every hallway, and within every AK bot. Guard rotation was stacked for every three and five hours - there was always at least one watching the feeds. Unlocking cells required a hand print from a senior human officer, bots could not be hacked to release prisoners. 

Robyn tried not to think about it too much, her girls had a plan, and she knew that they would come through. 

The AKs closed the reinforced bars to officially lock her in. “You are being held by order of General Ironwood.” It informed them. Robyn rolled her eyes. “Your trial date has yet to be determined.”

The words sounded too patronizing for her liking, despite the bot’s monotonous tone. “And never will be.” Robyn spat back. 

This time a human officer spoke up. “It would be wise to be on your best behavior.” He warned, led his crew back through the long halls of holding cells, and left two bots to stand guard at their cell doors. 

Qrow sat down heavily in the cell next to her, Robyn could see but not reach him through the bars. A snide comment was at her tongue, but she bit it back. She was still seething, but he did not seem to notice. Qrow Branwen was not someone she knew well, but anyone could see that he was lost. 

The Huntsman hadn’t said a word when they were arrested, even among heated accusations when Clover’s body was seen. He didn't fight when they were cuffed, yanked, and shoved into a prisoner transport. Robyn herself was horrified at the scene, and even angrier when Tyrian was nowhere to be found. She wasn't the closest of friends to Clover, but had always had a mutual respect for each other. Friendly competitions in school, sparring matches in class from time to time, and Clover was always an officer Robyn could trust to be at least _fair._ Robyn could not say she knew Qrow Branwen even that well, but the Huntsman downright shut down. 

Even now, he stared blankly at the door of his cell. Robyn sighed, but could not make herself look away. Branwen’s indictments were probably stacking up as the minutes passed by: the pilots’ deaths, airship damage, resisting arrest, Tyrian’s escape, and Clover’s death were all being pegged on him - on top of Ironwood’s initial call for his arrest over Team RWBY’s dissent. He wasn’t angry, or frustrated, or even concerned. He was breaking - or broken, Robyn couldn’t determine which was right. 

No, she didn’t know him well - but she could tell what he was going through. It was hard to see, even for Robyn, any huntsman beaten down and useless. Losing someone you love, she wouldn't wish it upon anyone. 

* * *

They stayed silent for two days. The guards in front their cells made no mention of the chaos outside, but Robyn was sure it was going on. Atlas hadn’t moved, and the fighting hadn’t reached this part of the city, but she knew something terrible had to be happening. 

Ironwood, under normal circumstances, would not go this long without personally attempting to get information out of his valuable prisoners. But Robyn and Qrow had been left alone. 

Still, she was more angry than worried. The Happy Huntresses had formed a plan to escape this prison long before this, and Robyn had no doubt they were finding a way to get her out as the minutes ticked by. However, Mantle was still at risk. Her people were fighting without her, fighting this unimaginable evil they only knew existed hours before she arrived - and Ironwood is wasting resources keeping her in prison.

Branwen, however, she couldn't tell what he was feeling. He had seemed to barely move. Sleep was hard to come by for the both of them, but on a rare occasion Robyn caught a glance of him leaning back against the bars of his cell with closed eyes. Every once in a while he wrung his hands together. Other than that, the huntsman brooded.

He was not, however, defenseless. She knew that. Robyn has spent years fighting inhumane and unjust accusations against the citizens of Mantle, human and faunus both. Legal loopholes, pleas, and names of reliable defenders ran through her head without her permission. None of it would help now, but her city was in danger, they’d need all the help they could get. They would need every huntsman in the field. 

Her Huntresses were coming for her, but Robyn couldn’t just let him rot here. 

“Hey,” she gripped the bars that separated their cells and the space between them. They wouldn’t be able to touch each other, but Qrow should certainly be able to hear her. He didn’t move. “We’re going to get out of here, trust me.” She couldn’t reveal the specifics of the Happy Huntress’ plan, they were still being watched. “They won’t pin everything on you.”

Qrow turned away, but Robyn was happy enough for the reaction. “They will.” The hoarseness of his voice and the bitterness in his words caught her off guard.

She gritted her teeth. “Then we’ll get out and kill that bastard ourselves. No arrests. We can end it.” 

Qrow again didn’t react. Robyn frowned. She was sure the promise of revenge would get his blood pumping again, at least enough for him to listen. But he just stared down at his hands, the old and crusted blood in his palms.

“Look,” she hissed, feeling heat rise in her chest. “That Salem thing has to be right outside, you heard your kid. We all fucked up, and turned on each other instead of remembering what mattered. I’ll admit it - but it’s not about us anymore. My home is in danger. And it’s Clover’s home too. We can't leave, we have to try - you included. You’re still a huntsman, you know. This is your job. To protect people.” 

"I can't protect anyone." Branwen scoffed, Robyn blinked in surprise. He turned to hide his eyes from her - Robyn chose to believe that meant he was at least listening. Maybe not liking what she was saying, but he heard her. 

“You want those kids to live?” She banged on the bars, despite aura affect that made her feel drained. “I saw you on the airship, they were the thing that actually got you mad.” _And I’ll use that fact as much as I have to._ Maybe it was low, but they have entered desperate times - Clover was gone, but those kids were not. “They’re sure as hell not abandoning Mantle, and you can’t abandon them. Ironwood won’t just forget what they did either. So you can sit here and feel guilty, or sorry, or pissed or whatever, but they are fighting. Like Huntresses, like the Huntsman you should be.” 

Robyn drew in a breath, and forced herself to continue. She could see Branwen's scowl.

“And like the one Clover thought you were.” 

Qrow finally stood and faced her. His expression was hard to read, but at first glance made Robyn want to step back. There was anger there, she saw that clear in his frown, his fists that were at his sides, and the burn of it in his eyes most of all. 

She kept her grip tight on the bars, and met his eyes. The vivid red was almost burning, Robyn felt her heart quicken from excitement. She smirked. He wasn’t done, even if he wanted to be. 

Qrow swallowed thickly, and set his jaw. “Tell me what you need me to do.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Qrow might be in a bad way right now, but you find the will to go on in the most unexpected places. I also think Robyn has a bigger heart than she lets on, I do hope we see more of her in Volume 8!
> 
> Second chapter will be out sometime on Monday, so stay tuned for the escape and Winter's perspective!
> 
> Comments are very much appreciated, thank you so much for reading!


	2. 'Cause I Know That I'm Right

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> More action on Qrow's part here, but the spotlight is still on Robyn and Winter :) I miss them already  
> Thanks for sticking with me, please enjoy this second and final chapter!

It took a few days, but her girls found them. 

Robyn didn’t need her aura to tell her that something was different. May’s semblance has an odd affect on people under its influence - one she couldn’t describe, but was certainly noticeable. Robyn felt the tingle in her spine just seconds before the AKs in front of her cell disappeared. 

She sat up in her cell, hearing the clank of the bots being destroyed with a smile across her lips. Even Qrow in the cell beside her sat up in attention.

May revealed herself a second later, Joanna behind her and both with equally smug grins. “Your knights in shining armor have arrived.” May winked at her. 

Robyn couldn’t help but shake her head with a laugh. “Took you long enough.” 

“You haven’t seen what’s going on out there.” Joanna scoffed, serious as always. “To get up here, Robyn, it’s-”

“I can guess.” She told them solemnly, but took a breath and straightened her back. “I’m proud of you for finding a way. We have to get back down, and help where we can.” She glanced to Qrow, who stood in his cell. 

“We didn’t expect any different.” Joanna said, and followed her gaze. Robyn could see her frown out of the corner of her eye. “Who’s he?”

“He’s on our side.” She assured. Qrow nodded at her words, Robyn mirrored him. She turned back to the two huntresses. “Where’s Fiona?” 

“In position. Waiting for the signal.” With a nod, May turned to the camera and held up her thumb. A moment later, the heavy lock to their cells clunked open. Robyn couldn’t help but smile - May must have gotten her inside the office before coming here. Just as planned, all of Atlas security had been bested by a little lamb with a sprinkle of invisibility.

Robyn stepped out of the cell, and felt her aura rush back through her. The dampening cells were supposedly harmless to prisoners, but the weight Robyn felt come off her chest proved otherwise - another reason she felt pride breaking out of this place. 

Beside them, Qrow left his cell tentatively. He hadn’t spoken more than a few words since Robyn shook some sense into him, but she could see the anger was still there. He looked back to the security camera that moved to point towards the exit. “We should move.” 

“Right.” Robyn turned to her Huntresses, where May took a deep breath. 

She closed her eyes, and spread out her hands. A wispy bubbled encircled their little group, and Robyn felt that tingling feeling down her spine again. “Be quiet.” May warned, looking to Qrow only. “And don’t touch anything.” 

He nodded once _._ Robyn placed a hand on May’s shoulder to reassure her. It couldn’t be easy hiding all these moving targets, but they’d make it. She had hope. 

Robyn jerked her head down the hall in a silent order, and they moved out under May’s concealment. 

* * *

“ _T_ _wo officers down within the surveillance post. Requesting reinforcements.”_

Winter did not mean to sigh as audibly as she did, but luckily, only AK bots surrounded her. Expressions like heavy sighs were not considered important enough to include in their daily reports. Not with the chaos that had engrossed the kingdom over the past week.

She lifted a finger to her ear. “This is Specialist Schnee, I am en route.” 

Winter had been cleared to officially return to active duty three days ago. Two days before that, everything had gone wrong: the dinner, the heating grid, Mantle, Cinder, Fria - and the trouble had not stopped. Winter had no time to even think about what hurt the most. 

Whoever was attempting to sabotage their prisoner surveillance was her current distraction. She welcomed it. 

“Specialist Schnee.” An AK greeted her as she entered the surveillance office. The two guards and a senior officer were unconscious on the ground, but otherwise unharmed according to the medics. 

A human officer was scrolling through the footage of the past hour. The lieutenant paused the feed to show two women suddenly appearing in front of Robyn Hill’s holding cell. Winter grinded her teeth as the tape moved forward. “This happened about twenty minutes ago, Agent. We believe the accessories are part of Hill’s outlaw group of Huntresses.” 

An AK spoke up beside them. “Hill and Branwen were brought in on accounts for: Aid-”

“Quiet.” Winter ordered with venom in her tone. 

The whole military knew by now what the charges were. Winter herself found them nearly impossible to believe - she even thought it was a mistake initially. Gossip. Branwen, of all people, she would not have pegged as a traitor, no matter how irritating he may be. And a murderer, it did not make sense to her. 

Even so, Winter didn’t have time to question his arrest. She had not had the courage to be with the rest of the Ace Operative when they were told of their fallen leader. They had bigger things to worry about. 

“Station operatives and Arachna Mines at every corner towards the southeast and southwest.” 

Those were the nearest exits, though Winter couldn’t gamble on which one they’d take. The mines would go off whether the party was invisible or not when trying to sneak past security. Allowing Weiss to manage a getaway with Penny put Winter on thin ice - she was not risking her neck for Branwen, of all people. 

Especially if the rumors surrounding what happened in the tundra, though hard enough to believe, were true.

The lieutenant followed Winter as she stormed out of the office, AKs marching two paces behind. “Already done ma’am. Mines are placed on both possible escape routes.”

Before she could reply, a loud blast rumbled the halls from the southeast. Alarms started blaring. The AKs linked database alerted Winter that the blast was from sector five - about fifty yards from the surveillance office.

“They snuck right fucking past us.” She snarled before sprinting off towards the southeast. 

Winter’s blood roared in her ears as she braced the smoke shrouding sector five. Shattered Ice felt solid in her hands, her aura pulsed through her bones - and allowed her to push her heart aside. 

Hill and her huntresses covered an injured woman with dark blue hair. The mines certainly did their job, no more invisible tricks now. Hill’s gang fended off the AKs guarding the southeast hall, while Winter and her small band came up from behind. A small, young woman noticed them first, spinning on her heels to fire a shot from her trident-looking weapon. The others turned to see as Winter dodged the blast. 

“Put down your weapons and surrend-” Her officer was not able to finish before Branwen was charging at him. 

Winter darted backwards, but the lieutenant did not know what he was up against. He tried to stand firm. With a swift kick, Qrow brought him to his knees. One of the Huntresses shot out the AKs starting to advance on him. In a second, Qrow grabbed a discarded blaster, and swung it into the lieutenant’s face to send him sprawling. 

In an instant, Qrow was charging at her. Winter allowed her instincts to take over and dodged, but he expected it. Qrow’s hand was wrapped around her wrist before Winter could even react, he ducked and tossed her across the hall like she weighed nothing. 

Winter hit the wall with a grunt. Beside her, an arrow sank into the wall. A red light flashed and beeped, Winter gasped before jerking back. The blast from Robyn’s arrow sent her sprawling again. She felt her aura flash but not break, and the room swam around her. AK reinforcements marched into the hall, shooting uselessly at the escapees. Another arrow whistled above her, Winter distantly realized that means Robyn must have her crossbow.

_Then where is Harbinger?_

“Go!” She couldn’t think on it for too long, Qrow was waving Hill and the rest of them away. Winter stood just in time to dodge a destroyed bot tossed her way. 

Qrow was on her again, shooting with a discarded AK blaster as he charged. Winter dodged the shots from side to side, Qrow flipped the blaster to be holding it’s barrel. He swung wide right for her head.

Winter gasped, and jerked away, but Qrow was on her again. He caught her extra saber on the inner side of Shattered Ice, and pulled it loose. 

She skidded backwards to a halt, and coughed the smoke from destroyed AKs and detonated Arachna mines away from her eyes. Qrow stopped on the other side of the hall, and held her saber as if it were a dagger. It must have felt like one, after hauling a greatsword for so many years. The image of Hill holding her crossbow flashed, Winter shook the thought from her head. Harbinger - and its absence - was not of concern. 

Qrow heaved in breaths before her, just as exhausted as she after spending days in the aura dampening cells. Winter noticed all at once the lack of shots around them - Hill’s Huntresses wiped the floor with any AKs that were her backup. She had no idea where her other reinforcement squads were. 

That did not stop Winter from holding her ground. 

“This will only make everything worse.”

Qrow only spat to the side at her words, and adjusted his grip on her saber. “Staying with James won’t?” 

Her anger flared, and her exhaustion burned away. “He trusted you. We all trusted you, where’s your loyalty?” 

“I’ve always had mine.” Qrow told her evenly, eerily calm as he spun her saber in his hand. “Your sister’s smart enough not to buy into all this. Are you?” 

Weiss flashed in her mind - her sad eyes glancing to Penny’s flaming ones, and looking so betrayed before she turned away from her. 

Winter dashed forward with a yell, a glyph at her back to propel her. Qrow crouched, her saber in his hand at a ready position. He blocked Winter’s strike, and the sequence that came after. He met her blow for blow, blocking and dodging rather than striking back with his usual cockiness.

Winter couldn’t help but notice that his moves were different than any other time they had fought; tight and precise, rather than the loose, flowing motions she was used to from him. He faced her momentum head on and stopped it in its place, pushing back with his own rather than redirecting. 

Winter was at a loss when trying to adapt. This certainly could not be a tactic he learned from Clover, or any of their enemies.

But she knew loss could do strange things to people. 

Between strikes, her anger bubbled. She’d been betrayed too, Weiss, Penny, her humiliation with Cinder - but she would never dream of doing something as foolish as this. The military did not have time or resources to devote to stopping an escape, why the hell was he doing this now?

With a yell, Qrow swung back to prepare for a strike. Winter grounded herself, a glyph forming at her back. She whipped her saber up to shield her shot only for Qrow to be hit from the side.

Winter blinked, Qrow rolled to a stop on the other side of the hall. His back was to the wall, a shot out window ten feet above him. Winter glared back to the officer behind them. 

Three human soldiers and two squads of AK bots crowded the hall, surrounding Qrow with their weapons trained on him. Winter watched him shake his head as he rose, her saber still in his hand. 

“Qrow Branwen,” an officer shouted, now standing beside Winter with her weapon aimed at Qrow. “Stand down, you are surrounded.” She looked to Winter, whispering. “Where is Hill?”

“Where you should be.” Qrow growled at them. 

Winter adjusted her grip on her half of Shattered Ice - but Qrow threw his to the ground. Its clang echoed through the hall. The officer beside her cocked her head, but Winter was locked on Qrow. Their eyes met, and she could see the anger that burned. 

“Be careful, Winter.” 

She frowned. Qrow jumped. 

The human officers gasped, the AKs lost their target. Winter felt oddly resigned as the small, black bird replaced Qrow. It flew straight up and out of the shot-out windows. 

Winter didn’t bother acknowledging their shock. It had been a week of revelations for everyone, the officers would come to terms with magic soon enough. She had never seen the transformation either, but the energy that had coursed through her was gone. Burned away just as the black crow disappeared.

Her aura depleted, her muscles tired and burning, she just turned away from the scene and headed to the medical bay. 

Her head pounded as she collapsed onto a chair. The med bay had been flooded since Salem arrived, she was willing to wait, her aura hadn’t even broken. It was her nerve that felt twisted and tired and wrong. 

Instead she fiddled with both sabers of Shattered Ice, and tried to keep her mind off another failure. The saber would need a sharpening and polish. Harbinger probably hadn’t been cleaned, either. Winter had seen the blood coating it, but she couldn’t imagine Qrow ever causing it. Shattered Ice would also need a new locking system, so no one could take the smaller saber from her ever again. If ever this would happen again. Only someone like Qrow would even try. Maybe, if he was truly on Mantle’s side, Winter could sleep well at night knowing his reckless fighting was at least to protect people. 

The whole room halted at once, soldiers saluted and Winter scrambled to stand to face the General as he entered. He was tired and cold and looked horrific as ever as he stared Winter down, but dismissed the rest in the room. “Branwen and Hill escaped?” 

“Yes sir,” she tried to keep her voice from shaking. Out of anger or humiliation, she didn’t know. “Robyn’s team of Huntresses-“

“The outlaws’ licenses have been revoked.” He corrected her deadpanned. 

“Yes, sir.” Winter nodded tightly. “They helped them escape. Branwen engaged in combat with me while Hill’s team made their way out of the compound. When we’re both becoming tired and Hill away from the compound, Branwen used his magic to escape.” 

General pauses, or contemplates. His expression doesn’t change. “You’ve disappointed me again, Schnee. Remind me soon why I need you around. Lest I forget myself.”

Winter felt a twinge of hurt from the accusation, and her heart twisted. Qrow’s warning rang through her mind. She clenched her jaw, pain flared from where she curled her fist, and responded tightly. “Yes, sir.” 

* * *

“Sabyr!” Fiona shouted beside her, Robyn rolled to dodge. 

Two arrows in its belly and the Grimm dissolved before her eyes. It would have been three arrows, if not for her sloppy roll. The sword she carried on her back made her feel off balance, but she wouldn’t dare set it down in all the chaos. 

Through the dark red lights and smoke surrounding Mantle’s city streets, Robyn could just make out the small crow flying through the haze. She frowned at it. There weren’t many birds in Mantle to begin with, let alone after its been turned into a war zone.

“Robyn!” Fiona yelled again. Robyn gasped and turned just in time to see another Sabyr pouncing. As she brought up her crossbow, a figure beat her to it. 

Qrow tackled the Sabyr, wrestling as they rolled down the street. He ended up on his feet, kicking its jaw away. As he jerked back, Robyn saw Joanna shoot from beside her. The shot landed true through the Sabyr’s skull, dissolving immediately. 

Qrow turned to face them, and Robyn reached for Harbinger at her back. He shook his head, just barely noticeable, and she paused her hand over its hilt. 

She understood. He was here, he would fight with the rest of them - but he wasn’t ready. There would be a time and a place to come to terms with what happened in the tundra, but not now. He had to prove he could still protect people - to himself. She could hold onto a sword until he was ready.

Robyn nodded once. Qrow nodded back. In an instant, the crow took his place. Robyn watched as it flew to find his family. 

She sighed, and turned back to the next wave of Grimm marching down the street. They had a fight to win.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, Qrow seems to cause more trouble than he means to. This time, it might be for the better. I do fully expect a ton of drama in volume 8, just so everyone is aware. More than anything - I want Winter to actually go through an arc! Ironwood has given her so much, and Penny did hurt her, but Winter deserves to be a good guy imo :)  
> Thank you so much reading, any and all comments are appreciated. I hope FG week treated everyone well, thank you for reading!!


End file.
